Pygmy Hippopotamus

Choeropsis liberiensis

Last updated: May 15, 2023
Verified by: AZ Animals Staff
© Chuckupd - Public Domain

Spends more time on land than in water!


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Pygmy Hippopotamus Scientific Classification

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Mammalia
Order
Artiodactyla
Family
Hippopotamidae
Genus
Hippopotamus
Scientific Name
Choeropsis liberiensis

Read our Complete Guide to Classification of Animals.

Pygmy Hippopotamus Conservation Status

Pygmy Hippopotamus Locations

Pygmy Hippopotamus Locations

Pygmy Hippopotamus Facts

Prey
Grasses, Fruits, Leaves
Name Of Young
Calf
Group Behavior
  • Solitary
Fun Fact
Spends more time on land than in water!
Estimated Population Size
3,000
Biggest Threat
Hunting and habitat loss
Most Distinctive Feature
Webbed toes and barrel-shaped body
Other Name(s)
Dwarf Hippopotamus
Gestation Period
7 months
Habitat
Hot, lowland rainforest
Predators
Leopards, Pythons, Crocodiles
Diet
Herbivore
Average Litter Size
1
Lifestyle
  • Nocturnal
Common Name
Pygmy Hippopotamus
Number Of Species
2
Location
West Africa
Slogan
Spends more time on land than in water!
Group
Mammal

Pygmy Hippopotamus Physical Characteristics

Color
  • Pink
  • Light Grey
  • Dark Grey
Skin Type
Leather
Top Speed
18.6 mph
Lifespan
30 - 40 years
Weight
160kg - 270kg (350lbs - 600lbs)
Length
1.5m - 1.7m (5ft - 5.5ft)
Age of Sexual Maturity
4 - 5 years
Age of Weaning
8 months

View all of the Pygmy Hippopotamus images!



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Classification

The Pygmy Hippopotamus is a medium-sized herbivorous mammal that is found inhabiting the humid forests and swamps of West Africa. The Pygmy Hippopotamus is closely related to Africa’s other Hippopotamus species, which is the Common Hippopotamus but is much smaller in size weighing around a fifth of its enormous cousin’s weight. Although the two species may look very similar there are actually a number of notable differences as the Pygmy Hippopotamus has a narrower mouth and sleeker body that helps it when moving quickly through the dense vegetation in the jungle. They also spend much less time in the water compared to the Common Hippopotamus and even rest in burrows in the vegetation on river banks. Unlike its larger cousin though, the Pygmy Hippopotamus is a very rare animal that is severely threatened in its remaining habitats by both hunting and habitat loss which appears to be hard to control in such an unregulated region.

Pygmy Hippopotamus

Evolutionary History

Although the pygmy hippopotamus resembles pigs and tapirs, their closing living relatives are cetaceans and the earliest known relative of both groups of animals were small water-loving terrestrial mammals that lived 50-60 million years ago. These groups diverged around 54 million years ago into the early cetaceans and the early anthracotheres, which were most likely the ancestor of the pygmy hippo.

A fossil that was believed to resemble the current-day pygmy hippopotamus was found dating back 21 million years ago to the Miocene Era (23 million to 5.3 million years ago).

Anatomy And Appearance

The pygmy hippopotamus has evolved to be more land-dwelling than the larger common hippopotamus.

©Bardrock, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons – License

The Pygmy Hippopotamus has a long barrel-shaped body that is covered in slate-grey skin, which lightens towards the underside. The head of the Pygmy Hippopotamus is small in relation to its body size and along with its narrower mouth, makes it easier for them to run through the forest at speed. Due to the fact that the Pygmy Hippopotamus has evolved to being more land-dwelling than the larger Common Hippopotamus, they have a number of adaptations that aid them when in the dense forest. Although the Pygmy Hippopotamus is still semi-aquatic and will enter the water, they have fewer webbed toes than their cousin to help them move more effectively on land, and their eyes are also found on the sides of their head rather than on the top which again helps them to see more around them when they are amongst the trees. The Pygmy Hippopotamus also has long canines called tusks and although they are no-way near as impressive as those found in the mouth of the Common Hippopotamus, they are still used for intimidating rivals and intruders.



Distribution And Habitat

The Pygmy Hippopotamus are found in Liberia and Cote d’Ivoire in western Africa.

©Raimond Spekking / GFDL – License

Although the Pygmy Hippopotamus would have once been found throughout more of its current range, evidence suggests that the species has always been fairly rare. Pygmy Hippopotamuses are found in Liberia and Cote d’Ivoire in western Africa, along with there also being a few small and isolated populations in neighboring Sierra Leone and Guinea. The Pygmy Hippopotamus inhabits areas of dense, lowland tropical forest and swampland, where it spends the majority of its time foraging for food and resting on land. Despite the fact that Pygmy Hippopotamus populations have never been too numerous, their numbers have declined drastically particularly over recent years due to both hunting and habitat loss. The natural tropical forests that the Pygmy Hippopotamus inhabits are also home to rare and sought-after tropical timbers, with these areas, therefore, being subjected to high levels of illegal logging.

Behavior And Lifestyle

©Ltshears, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons – License

Unlike the larger and more sociable Common Hippopotamus, the Pygmy Hippopotamus does not live in herds and is in fact, largely solitary. Spending the hot days resting in the cool mud or in the burrow of another animal (such as an Otter) that it has enlarged, the Pygmy Hippopotamus spends comparatively little of its time in water and tends to use it more as a refuge if it feels threatened. The Pygmy Hippopotamus is nocturnal and forages in the forest at night for a wide variety of plant matter and fallen fruits. Like their larger cousin, the Pygmy Hippopotamus follows well-trodden and marked paths between its feeding and resting grounds and can dart through these tunnels at a remarkable pace if it feels in danger. Although Pygmy Hippopotamuses roam individual home ranges it is not uncommon for them to overlap those of others, and they are even known to tolerate the presence of other individuals in their territory.

Reproduction And Life Cycles

Pygmy Hippopotamus pair at the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy

©Chuckupd – Public Domain – License

The breeding season is one of the main times when male Pygmy Hippopotamuses become more aggressive and will bare their teeth and even fight with one another to earn the right to mate with the local females. After a gestation period that lasts for between six and seven months, the female Pygmy Hippopotamus gives birth to a single calf either in a den in the dense vegetation or in the water. Pygmy Hippopotamus calves weigh just under 6kg at birth and are fully weaned by the time they are eight months old, after which they begin to accompany their mother on foraging trips in the forest. Pygmy Hippopotamuses are relatively long-living animals that often reach older ages than the average Common Hippopotamus, particularly when kept in captivity.

Diet And Prey

These small hippos are herbivores and forage for and eat different types of plant matter.

©Ltshears, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons – License

The Pygmy Hippopotamus is a herbivorous animal which means that it only forages for and consumes different types of plant matter in order to acquire all of the nutrients that it needs to survive. Unlike the Common Hippopotamus that primarily (and almost only) feeds on grasses, the Pygmy Hippopotamus has a much more varied diet and consumes a wide range of plants and plant material throughout the forest. The Pygmy Hippopotamus forages under the cover of night eating grasses, ferns, leaves, shrubs, and fruits that have fallen onto the forest floor from the branches above. The Pygmy Hippopotamus uses a special tunnel through the dense jungle to move about most safely between its resting and feeding grounds, ensuring that it can always have a good route of escape if danger approaches.

Predators And Threats

The biggest threat to the pygmy hippopotamus is humans that hunt them for food and destroy their habit.

©Alfonsopazphoto, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons – License

Due to the relatively large size of the Pygmy Hippopotamus, it has few natural predators within its native forest habitats with the exception of occasionally being stalked by a Leopard. The smaller and more vulnerable calves, however, are preyed up by a number of jungle predators including other Wildcats and large Snakes such as Pythons, that are able easily ambush the unprotected young calf whilst its mother is out foraging. The biggest threat to the remaining Pygmy Hippopotamus populations however is people, that have hunted them for their meat and have destroyed vast areas of their unique forest habitats. The often illegal deforestation of much of Africa‘s tropical rainforest is to provide rare, exotic woods for the timber industry and to clear land to make way for farming and agriculture.

Interesting Facts And Features

The skin of the Pygmy Hippopotamus is formed in such a way that is prevents the animal from sweating. As a result, when their skin comes into contact with air, it dries easily. While this may not be an issue in the water, when on land, a pink, oily substance is secreted through glands in the skin which is thought to not only prevent sunburn but also may have anti-bacterial properties that aid in keeping wounds clean and preventing infection from the dirty water. The Pygmy Hippopotamus has slightly webbed feet, which help it when it is walking on muddy river bottoms and up slippery banks. Their webbed feet however do not prove to be a disadvantage on land, as the Pygmy Hippopotamus is capable of dashing through the well-marked tunnels in the vegetation at speeds of up to 30kph. Despite their appearance, both species of Hippopotamus are actually thought to be more closely related to Whales than they are to other even-toed mammals.

Relationship With Humans

The Pygmy Hippopotamus has fascinated people since the ancient Egyptian times but they have also been exploited by them. Although now legally protected, this rare and elusive animal is hunted for both its teeth and its meat, which despite not being closely related, is said to taste like pork. People, however, have also had devastating effects on Pygmy Hippopotamus populations throughout much of their natural range with deforestation of their native habitats pushing these animals into ever smaller and more isolated regions. Logging for the timber industry and land clearance for agriculture is illegal in many parts of their natural range but is sadly too much of an area to patrol effectively so the practice continues still, with Pygmy Hippopotamuses also then being poached in the process.

Conservation Status And Life Today

Today, the Pygmy Hippopotamus is listed by the IUCN as an animal species that is Endangered in its natural environment and is severely at risk of extinction in the near future. The sub-species of Pygmy Hippopotamus found in Niger is rarer still and listed by the Red List as being Critically Endangered, although many believe that it may sadly now be extinct. There are less than 3,000 Pygmy Hippopotamus individuals estimated to be left foraging in the hot, wet forests of western Africa today and numbers seem to be declining still due to illegal hunting and habitat loss.

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About the Author

Melissa Bauernfeind was born in NYC and got her degree in Journalism from Boston University. She lived in San Diego for 10 years and is now back in NYC. She loves adventure and traveling the world with her husband but always misses her favorite little man, "P", half Chihuahua/half Jack Russell, all trouble. She got dive-certified so she could dive with the Great White Sharks someday and is hoping to swim with the Orcas as well.

Pygmy Hippopotamus FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) 

Are Pygmy Hippopotamuses herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores?

Pygmy Hippopotamuses are Herbivores, meaning they eat plants.

What Kingdom do Pygmy Hippopotamuses belong to?

Pygmy Hippopotamuses belong to the Kingdom Animalia.

What phylum to Pygmy Hippopotamuses belong to?

Pygmy Hippopotamuses belong to the phylum Chordata.

What family do Pygmy Hippopotamuses belong to?

Pygmy Hippopotamuses belong to the family Hippopotamidae.

What order do Pygmy Hippopotamuses belong to?

Pygmy Hippopotamuses belong to the order Artiodactyla.

What type of covering do Pygmy Hippopotamuses have?

Pygmy Hippopotamuses are covered in Leathery skin.

What genus do Pygmy Hippopotamuses belong to?

Pygmy Hippopotamuses belong to the genus Hippopotamus.

Where do Pygmy Hippopotamuses live?

Pygmy Hippopotamuses live in West Africa.

In what type of habitat do Pygmy Hippopotamuses live?

Pygmy Hippopotamuses live in hot, lowland rainforests.

What are some predators of Pygmy Hippopotamuses?

Predators of Pygmy Hippopotamuses include leopards, pythons, and crocodiles.

How many babies do Pygmy Hippopotamuses have?

The average number of babies a Pygmy Hippopotamus has is 1.

What is an interesting fact about Pygmy Hippopotamuses?

Pygmy Hippopotamuses spend more time on land than in water!

What is the scientific name for the Pygmy Hippopotamus?

The scientific name for the Pygmy Hippopotamus is Choeropsis liberiensis.

What is the lifespan of a Pygmy Hippopotamus?

Pygmy Hippopotamuses can live for 30 to 40 years.

How many species of Pygmy Hippopotamus are there?

There are 2 species of Pygmy Hippopotamus.

What is the biggest threat to the Pygmy Hippopotamus?

The biggest threats to the Pygmy Hippopotamus are hunting and habitat loss.

What is another name for the Pygmy Hippopotamus?

The Pygmy Hippopotamus is also called the dwarf hippopotamus.

How many Pygmy Hippopotamuses are left in the world?

There are 3,000 Pygmy Hippopotamuses left in the world.

How fast is a Pygmy Hippopotamus?

A Pygmy Hippopotamus can travel at speeds of up to 18.6 miles per hour.

How to say Pygmy Hippopotamus in ...
Bulgarian
Хипопотам джудже
Catalan
Hipopòtam nan
Czech
Hrošík liberijský
Danish
Dværgflodhest
German
Zwergflusspferd
English
Pygmy Hippopotamus
Esperanto
Nana hipopotamo
Spanish
Choeropsis liberiensis
Estonian
Kääbusjõehobu
Finnish
Kääpiövirtahepo
French
Hexaprotodon liberiensis
Galician
Hipopótamo pigmeo
Hebrew
היפופוטם גמדי
Croatian
Patuljasti vodenkonj
Hungarian
Törpevíziló
Italian
Hexaprotodon liberiensis
Japanese
コビトカバ
Dutch
Dwergnijlpaard
English
Dvergflodhest
Polish
Hipopotam karłowaty
Portuguese
Hipopótamo-pigmeu
Swedish
Dvärgflodhäst
Turkish
Cüce suaygırı
Chinese
倭河马

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us? Contact the AZ Animals editorial team.

Sources
  1. David Burnie, Dorling Kindersley (2011) Animal, The Definitive Visual Guide To The World's Wildlife
  2. Tom Jackson, Lorenz Books (2007) The World Encyclopedia Of Animals
  3. David Burnie, Kingfisher (2011) The Kingfisher Animal Encyclopedia
  4. Richard Mackay, University of California Press (2009) The Atlas Of Endangered Species
  5. David Burnie, Dorling Kindersley (2008) Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Animals
  6. Dorling Kindersley (2006) Dorling Kindersley Encyclopedia Of Animals
  7. David W. Macdonald, Oxford University Press (2010) The Encyclopedia Of Mammals
  8. Pygmy Hippopotamus Facts, Available here: http://library.sandiegozoo.org/factsheets/hippo/hippo_summary.htm
  9. Pygmy Hippopotamus Conservation, Available here: http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/10032/0

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